Back when the analog sunset was first announced it felt like we had forever, but the transition to all-digital has already begun.

Starting on the first of this year, every new Blu-ray player announced
is required to output HD video through HDMI only. That means you're not
going to be able to connect through component anymore unless you're
willing to sacrifice picture quality.

To the average consumer this isn't really a big deal. HDMI cords are
easy enough to come by. If you've got a larger, more involved setup
that involves long cable runs or wires going through your walls and
ceilings though, this announcement is huge.

The biggest change will come in 2013, when analog video outputs are
removed from Blu-ray players for good, leaving you the option of HDMI or
nothing.